The following day, the young Raven found herself in the Headmaster's office. To her, the cheap decor reflected a man who didn't know how to properly display his wealth. Tacky objects adorned the office—expensive, yet devoid of true value. It was cluttered, and he seemed oblivious to the power of open spaces. The man himself was presentable enough; he wore comfortable robes similar in style to the students' uniforms. They matched his weary blue-grey eyes, which were currently appraising her with a subtle hum.

"My lady," the Headmaster finally spoke, leaning back in his ornate leather chair, "I regret to inform you that attendance constitutes 90% of the grade. You cannot continue to request absences and expect to pass. There are regulations about this sort of thing."

"Of course," Ravina responded with a professional smile. "I was merely considering that, instead of attending school, I might make a more financially advantageous contribution to the academy and to those who labor tirelessly to elevate the level of education for the kingdom's youth."

The Headmaster tilted his head and hummed in bored annoyance. He had likely encountered many students attempting to buy their way through their education. Changing tactics, Ravina picked up an expensive-looking object from the man's desk. It was... quite indicative of misplaced priorities.

"Then again, perhaps we should assess how the funds are being allocated in the first place?" she suggested, her tone laced with insinuation.

The man rose to his feet. "My lady, that is a 7th-century jeweled Diegohma. It is exceedingly expensive and exceedingly rare."

Uh... sure, Ravina thought as she passed the small, gaudy pot between her hands. Observing her careless demeanor, the Headmaster rose from his seat. "Brat!" he coughed, quickly regaining his composure. "That is, Lady Ravenshield, this is no way to request a favor."

His eyes followed the pot intently, betraying his true intentions.

So it wasn’t that he couldn't do anything, but rather that this was not the proper way to request it. Well, whatever, he had his chance. “I wonder what investigators would find if we sent them to the academy. I wager I could even give you a month to conceal everything, yet still, what would we discover?”

Finally, he met her gaze. “I cannot allow a student to simply bribe her way out of classes. How would that appear to the others?"

"The others would not care," Ravina replied. "Your only risk is that they might discover it and request the same treatment. That being said, we must ensure the price is correct to provide a more plausible denial besides it being against the rules.” She placed the pot back on the desk, and the Headmaster visibly relaxed. “Even then, as long as they remain unaware, they will simply believe I am failing. Although that won't be the case, for you will ensure my grades reflect those of a noblewoman of my status. Of course, I am not asking for the highest marks, merely respectable ones." After all, how would it look if a student no one saw placed top at the school?

The Headmaster sighed. "My lady, do you truly believe I could be so easily bought?"

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To this, Ravina simply replied, "Of course. The only question is how much it will cost." She took a sheet of paper from the Headmaster's desk, along with a pen, and jotted down a figure as she spoke. She then pushed the paper toward the Headmaster. "This number is quite tempting as a starting point," she stated.

The Headmaster stared at the number, pulling the paper closer with a finger and tapping it as he considered it. "It's a bit modest," he admitted, implying that he wanted the sum to be higher. Well, he had to fund his expensive habit of being easily fooled by merchants. And people said ravens liked shiny things.

Ravina responded, "Well, of course, that depends on my final grade. After all, this is a service that requires time and effort, so I must ensure I receive what I am paying for." She pulled a few documents from her bag and handed them to him.

The Headmaster glanced at her. "And what would you be doing in the meantime?" he asked as he accepted the paperwork.

She smiled at him. "My dear Headmaster, that is not for you to concern yourself with. I will remain in the city and refrain from any untoward activities, I assure you."

“What is this?” he questioned. “My lady, are you seriously expecting—”

“Assurance that you will not renege on our agreement after I graduate. After all, it would be quite simple for you to rescind the diploma whenever you please.”

“I wouldn't—”

“Everyone has a price,” she reminded him.

“Twice,” he countered, tapping the paper where the amount was written. “If I am to provide you with evidence against myself, I would require twice the amount.”

“Doable,” Ravina nodded. “Now please sign both copies; we should each retain one.” He was quite cheap. Then again, he probably thought he had it made, accepting bribes from countless families.

“I don't need a copy,” he replied, signing one document and handing it back.

“Just remember that you need to attend the graduation at the end of the final year. Naturally, I will not allow you to extend to four years, as you understand we have a reputation to maintain."

She smiled at the word ‘reputation.’ "Very well. You can send any information to Crook-Beak Manor, and I shall receive it. As I mentioned, I will be residing here for the next two years."

With that, he nodded. "All right, but understand this: until I receive the full amount," he tapped the paper with two fingers, "I could easily extricate myself from this arrangement, if you know what I mean."

Ravina nodded. Poor fool. His signature sealed his fate. Of course, it didn’t matter; she had the funds, and it wouldn't do to make a spectacle of this. After all, she was not a knight seeking to right wrongs. She truly did not wish to attend this school. One could only wonder why. "I understand." A coward to the end.

With that, the young Raven left the academy, smiling at the deal she had made that would keep her away from the school and thus safe from any shenanigans a romance novel could throw at a poor villainess like her. She smiled at the thought of being a villainess. If only life were so simple. In a playful antic she brought the back of her hand to her lips, “mah hawh ha ha.” She gave her best evil laugh, this only enticed an actual chuckle from her.

With this newfound freedom, the young daughter of the Raven was at liberty to do as she pleased, and to be honest, the idea of lazing about for two years sounded quite appealing. However, there was something else she needed to address, something she had been putting off for far too long. With a deep breath, Ravina followed her feet. She kept her gaze on the ground as she moved, not daring to look up as her heart quickened with each step. Soon enough, she found herself only a few paces away from the elegant white door. With a shaky breath, she looked up and found herself at the base of the large white tower.